Youth on racial minority operated U.S. farms, 2008: Demographics and injuries

IntroductionTo obtain injury surveillance data for youth on racial minority operated farms, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health developed the Minority Farm Operator Childhood Agricultural Injury Survey (M-CAIS) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.MethodsUsing a regionally stratified telephone survey of U.S. minority operated farm households, M-CAIS data were collected for youth less than 20 years of age.ResultsThere were an estimated 37,443 youth living on racial minority operated U.S. farms in 2008, almost half (46%) of these youth worked on the farm. Racial minority farm operators hired 6,443 youth, and reported an estimated 775,991 youth relative and other visitors on the farm. These youth suffered an estimated 516 injuries (5.9 injuries/1000 farms).ConclusionsHousehold youth had an injury rate of 7.8 injuries/1000 household youth and a work-related injury rate of 6.9 injuries/1000 working household youth.Practical applicationsThe research enables agricultural safety and health researchers, practitioners, and educators to identify priorities and design trainings and interventions to minimize the risk of farm hazards to youth on racial minority farm operations in the United States.